Week-long party for 150th celebrations

A week-long party to celebrate 150 years since the creation
of the Oamaru Town Board began in earnest yesterday with a
picnic at the Oamaru Public Gardens and will finish with
residents rocking out with Green Party co-leader Metiria
Turei.

Oamaru was officially proclaimed a town in December 1862 and
to allow the public a chance to celebrate the town's
birthday, local artist Donna Demente has organised a week of
events.

Ms Demente said she had been inspired by the Arrowtown 150th
celebrations earlier in the year.

''We really wanted to do something to celebrate it. It is our
150th after all, so we made a series of events to get people
together.

''150 is quite a significant birthday and we wanted to do
something specifically to acknowledge that.''

Events, including public barbecues, a screening of film
footage from the 1962 centennial celebrations and an ''end of
the world party'' on December 21, would conclude with a
1960s-themed music concert, which would see Green Party
co-leader Metiria Turei's ukulele rock band perform its first
professional gig at The Grainstore Gallery and Birdlands
Winebar on Sunday.